Spencer Borison, an intern in the Denver Mayor’s Office, gamely plays along with a request by Denver Mayor Michael Hancock to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

The meetings, which take place every Tuesday morning in the City and County Building, are usually staid affairs where departments inform the mayor and council of legislation coming up.

But this morning, Hancock decided to liven things up and Borison played along, saying he sang in the choir. The young man does a great job, considering the pressure. At the end, Hancock says, “I was just joking.” But he tells Borison that he just started “a whole new tradition.”

City and County of Denver wants to develop land in and around Denver International Airport. Adams County officials are concerned the plans violate a 25-year-old agreement.

Thursday’s Airport Consultation Committee meeting between officials from Adams County and Denver over how Denver International Airport should develop was canceled due to scheduling conflicts and had nothing to do with increasing tensions between the two parties, according to Adams County officials.

The meeting will be rescheduled, said Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan, but dates have yet been determined. On Tuesday, the Adams County contingent that includes the county commissioners, Brighton, Commerce City, Aurora, Thornton and Westminster will meet as part of an Airport Coordinating Committee.

Perhaps an unintended time out is fortuitous with the two sides seemingly at an impasse.Read more…

A federal judge on Monday dismissed a lawsuit brought by a former aide of Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, who claimed a breach of employment contract when he was fired a year ago and also claimed he was maligned.

Wayne McDonald was Hancock’s friend and served as a project’s manager and adviser in the mayor’s office, earning $85,000 a year. McDonald was terminated on May 18, 2012, after a female Denver police officer accused him of sexual harassment. McDonald denied he sexually harassed the police officer.

In his suit, McDonald claimed he had been given no hearing or other opportunity to address the accusations. He named the police officer, Hancock and the mayor’s press secretary Amber Miller as defendants.

U.S. District Court Judge John Kane said in an order that McDonald’s suit “is cluttered with erroneous and superfluous concepts and buzzwords that confuse the issues and render meaningful analysis difficult.”Read more…

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock Saturday morning will hold his second “Cabinet in the Community” quarterly town hall meeting of this year — a gathering in which people can meet with municipal government officials.

Denver mayor Michael B. Hancock.

The meeting is set for 9 a.m. at Hamilton Middle School, 8600 E. Dartmouth Ave. in Denver.

Residents will hear presentations on important initiatives under way, such as the “Heads Up” public safety awareness campaign, the implementation of Measure 2A and Peak Performance and Denver’s Imagine 20/20 cultural plan.

Attendees will then be able to meet one-on-one with department heads to share ideas, ask questions and express concerns about issues facing the city.

The Denver Library Commission won’t pick a name for the new library branch being built on West Colfax Avenue until June 20 but the discussion has already reached full volume.

Denver Public Library will be opening a new library next year on West Colfax Avenue. A community-wide discussion is ongoing about what to name the new library.

Controversy is brewing over a group’s push to name the library after Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales — the late Chicano activist who died in 2005. The idea has elicited strong reactions. Some are vocally against naming anything after Gonzales, who they say was a leader of a group tied to violence throughout the 1960s and ’70s.

Others say Gonzales is a historical figure who fought injustice and gained civil rights for Latinos. Among those pushing for the library to be named after Gonzales include Denver Councilman Paul Lopez and former Denver Mayor Guillermo “Bill” Vidal.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock as a candidate in July 2011 told the Viva Colorado newspaper that “Gonzales is a symbol for urban civil rights and Chicano pride. As founder of Escuela Tlatelolco in Denver in 1970, he left a lasting legacy for our city’s youth. His leadership was admirable, and I would be proud to support the naming of the new library or the west section of 38th Avenue after this great leader.”

On Tuesday, Hancock said his view is unchanged and that he would support the library being named for Gonzales.Read more…

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock today was named named chairman of the National Civic League, the century-old Denver-based nonprofit and nonpartisan organization that promotes good government, civic engagement and local, community-based problem-solving.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, seen here during a summer parade, was named chairman of the National Civic League, a century-old Denver-based nonprofit and nonpartisan organization that promotes good government, civic engagement and local, community-based problem-solving.

In the role, Hancock will preside over organizational meetings and deliver a message to the annual All-America City Awards event. This year’s award program will be held June 14-16 in Denver and highlight community efforts to honor and benefit veterans and military families. AAC will return to Denver in 2014 with a focus on healthy communities.

“Thousands of American communities have been touched by NCL award programs, research projects, publications and strategic planning initiatives,” Hancock said in a press release. “People and public institutions across the country have been well served by the NCL’s focus on better, smarter government and community engagement. I was proud to work for this reputable institution at the beginning of my career and I’m honored to now help steer the ship of the same organization where I began my public service journey.”Read more…

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, third from the left, joins other dignitaries and officials Thursday in a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the construction phase for a new fire station near Monaco and Havana streets.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock joined other city officials Thursday morning for a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the construction phase for a new fire station near the Lowry neighborhood.

The $8 million Denver Fire Station 18, funded by the voter-approved Better Denver Bond program, is being constructed at Alameda Avenue and Xenia Street (between Monaco and Havana streets) and is expected to help the fire department meet standard response times.

The improved times will help the fire department improve its risk rating, which positively affects insurance rates. Response times into Windsor Gardens, for example, are expected to drop to two minutes once the new station is complete, compared to the approximately six and a half minutes experienced with existing stations located farther away. The new station also will provide back-up support on the east side of Denver.

“The service and commitment of our firefighters cannot be understated, whether they are fighting fires, providing emergency medical assistance, or educating homeowners and neighbors about safety,” Hancock said. “Our fire department is world-class and having this new station will allow our first responders faster times when answering to emergencies and supporting the surrounding neighborhoods. We owe a big thanks to the citizens who voted to improve our city and our safety through the Better Denver Bonds.”Read more…

Denver and the region turned out strong Tuesday morning to memorialize Paul Ryan, the director of regional affairs who died over the weekend after a sudden illness.

A standing-room only crowd filled up the third floor of the McNichols Building Tuesday morning to pay tribute to Ryan – the exuberant 49-year-old whose death Saturday shocked City Hall.

Ryan’s appendix had burst a week earlier and he developed health complications after that. His death prompted a call for a moment of silence in the state legislature on Monday, the temporary closure of the city offices on Tuesday and even a letter of condolence from President Obama.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock canceled part of his trip to Africa that had been scheduled for this week to pay tribute to his friend.

“He was my sidekick,” Hancock said during the memorial service, wearing a bow tie for the first time in his life in honor of his friend. “He was my Paul Gasol. My Scottie Pippen. I will miss him dearly. … He was the most selfless, optimistic person I have ever met.”

Paul Ryan, who was the director of regional affairs for Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, died Saturday after a sudden illness had hospitalized him.

Paul Ryan, the director of regional affairs for Denver who is shown here with Mayor Michael Hancock at a 2012 event, died suddenly on Saturday. (Lynn Bartels/file photo).

Ryan, who shared the same name as the Republican congressman from Wisconsin who was Mitt Romney’s running mate last year, was a “beloved member of our city family,” Hancock said in a press release issued late Saturday night. Ryan was to turn 50 on May 1.

Hancock was expected to fly to Africa on Sunday but staffers say he will likely cancel the trip, which was to include a trip to Nairobi with Councilman Albus Brooks and a keynote speech at the Airport Cities World Conference in South Africa.

“Today, our hearts are broken at the sudden loss of Paul Ryan. The Hancock team mourns not just for our colleague but for the truest of friends, a beloved member of our city family.

My dear friend Paul carried the warmest disposition and the most infectious optimism of any person I have known. While his passing reminds us of the delicate nature of life, it is certain that his genuine spirit will stay with all of us and serve as a shining beacon of the grace we all seek.

My family, myself and the Hancock team send our deepest condolences to Paul’s wonderful wife, Pam, and to his family during this time of great sorrow.”

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock is heading to Africa next week to participate in the Airport Cities World Conference in South Africa and for a goodwill trip to Nairobi, Kenya, with Denver Councilman Albus Brooks.

The Mayor’s Office says “no taxpayer money will be spent” on the trip.

Denver City Councilman Albus Brooks, shown here in 2012 during his trip to Kenya, will be visiting the East African country again this next week with Denver Mayor Michael Hancock. (Photo courtesy of Albus Brooks).

Seventy-five percent of the Nairobi visit will be funded by a grant from Sister Cities International with the rest being paid for from private funders. And the South Africa visit will be primarily funded by Denver International Airport — an enterprise agency within the city that generates its own revenues.

The Airport Cities World Conference will be in the City of Ekurhuleni near Johannesburg. Hancock will attend two days of the conference and will deliver a keynote on global competitiveness. The Mayor and airport officials will also be hosted by the Premier and Mayor of Durban on a tour of that region’s airport, trade hub and airport city under development.Read more…

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.